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Native Plant Society of Texas

Clear Lake Chapter

Plant of the Month: Silver Bluestem

Presented by Gabriella Bible
June 13, 2022

Botanical name: Bothriochloa laguroides
Common names: Silver Bluestem, Silver Beardgrass
Family: Poaceae (Grass)

[MUS—EASY AND FUN]

[GABRIELLA] Hello. My name is Gabriella Bible and I’ll be doing the Silver Bluestem today.

Another common name for the Silver Bluestem is Silver Beardgrass. It comes from the Poaceae family, the grass family, and is distributed along the southern region of the United States. I was able to get this chart from the USDA Plants website showing where it’s both native and introduced in the United States. The Silver Bluestem tends to grow in grasslands, prairies, roadsides, river bottoms, and woodland areas.

Plant Characteristics

Some plant characteristics of the Silver Bluestem would be that it’s a perennial, a grass, and produces white flowers. It blooms between May and November. The fruit type would be caryopsis, and I have some pictures of the seeds to the side. It has simple parallel, alternating leaves and can grow between one to three feet.

Growth Conditions

Some growth conditions would be that it is adapted to medium and coarse soil. It is drought tolerant and shade intolerant. And the minimum temperature that it can survive at is negative 23 degrees Fahrenheit.

And here are my resources. And that’s it. Thank you.

[MUS—AND THAT’S IT]

Resources

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About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason